Vehicle Wheel Misalignment Detection Using Steering Angle and Navigation Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drivers often fail to detect wheel misalignment in vehicles, leading to uneven tire wear and degraded steering performance, which can cause accidents due to the inability to recognize changes in wheel alignment from preset angles, especially during straight driving.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a navigation device, a lane change detector, a driving information detector, and a steering wheel rotation angle detector, which uses a controller to determine if the vehicle is traveling straight by analyzing curvature information, lane change frequency, vehicle speed, and brake frequency, and transmits an alarm signal when the steering wheel rotation angle deviates from predetermined criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wheel alignment is not monitored, then the system remains simple, but tire wear increases and steering performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using existing vehicle sensors (steering wheel angle sensor, navigation system, lane change detector) for their primary purposes while also utilizing them to detect wheel misalignment. The controller integrates multiple functions: navigation guidance, lane change detection, and wheel alignment monitoring, eliminating the need for dedicated alignment sensors and reducing system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If additional alignment detection hardware is added, then detection accuracy improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses existing vehicle sensors and systems for dual purposes: the steering wheel rotation angle detector monitors both steering input and alignment status, the navigation device provides both routing information and straight-path reference, and the lane change detector serves both lane change identification and alignment detection needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the vehicle's own existing infrastructure (sensors, processors, communication systems) to perform alignment detection without requiring external or additional specialized equipment. The controller leverages data already being collected for other functions to derive alignment information.
3Loss of information
If drivers manually check wheel alignment, then detection capability exists, but driver awareness and response time are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring steering wheel angle deviations from expected values during straight driving and immediately notifying the driver through alarm signals. This eliminates the need for drivers to manually assess alignment by providing automated, real-time information about misalignment conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring and self-diagnosis of wheel alignment conditions, automatically detecting misalignment and communicating it to the driver without requiring driver intervention or expertise in alignment assessment.
4Reliability
If continuous monitoring is performed, then detection reliability improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs alignment detection continuously but activates alarm output only when misalignment conditions are detected, using periodic evaluation of steering angle data against predetermined thresholds. This approach maintains detection readiness while minimizing unnecessary energy expenditure on continuous alarm activation.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is configured to produce an alarm when wheel misalignment of a vehicle occurs. The system includes: a navigation device; a lane change detector configured to detect lane change frequency information of the vehicle; a driving information detector configured to detect vehicle speed information and brake frequency information; a steering wheel rotation angle detector configured to detect a rotation angle of a steering wheel; and a controller deriving a criterion based on the rotation angle, for determining whether or not the vehicle travels straight by receiving from the navigation device, the lane change detector, the driving information detector, and the steering wheel rotation angle detector, information necessary to determine whether or not the vehicle travels straight, the controller transmitting an alarm signal to a driver when a current rotation angle of the steering wheel detected by the steering wheel rotation angle detector fails to satisfy the criterion.